Nikolaus Habjan graduated in music theater directing from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He also studied puppeteering with Neville Tranter and staged puppet theater productions such as F. Zawrel – erbbiologisch und sozial minderwertig, which won a Nestroy Award. He has worked at various theaters in Austria and abroad. Habjan was director in residence at the Theater an der Wien (Oberon, Faust, Salome, La Perichole and Wo die wilden Kerle wohnen) and resident director at the Dortmund Opera (Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Tosca, Die Zauberflöte and Orpheus in der Unterwelt). His recent productions include Il Barbiere at the Theater Basel and L’Orfeo at the Semperoper Dresden. In 2024 he directed Die Zauberflöte in Cleveland with Franz Welser-Möst and in 2025 they collaborated again on Fidelio at the Staatsoper in Vienna.
In addition to his work behind the scenes, he is frequently on stage both as puppeteer and as an artistic whistler.
Photo: © Werner Kmetitsch/ Photowerk.at
